The bird escaped its cage :)

It has been a long time since I blogged. It has been a long time since I felt like I'm being myself. I can't even make myself pick up the phone when my friends called, it's like, if I'm not paddling, I'm not worthy of their friendship. I am ... nobody.

So it is no coincidence that I blog again when I paddle again :-)

21-Nov-2010 (Sun)

DB -> Kwai Shek -DB (about 20km)

Launch: 1535

Land: 1855

Paddled Martlet with a plastic/alloy paddle from the boat club.

Weather was "fine," if smoggy can be called fine. The sea breeze was gentle, the sun was warm on my skin. The water undulated gently, I sat high up on the thick foam padding with my knees together, not a worry of capsize. But I was sort of worried -- NZ has changed me. I have had my first, second, third, fourth and countless involuntary capsizes there. The certainty that it can't happen, has left me.

Should I berate myself for being unprepared? I had a T-shirt and a pair of shorts on, no sun screen, no sun hat, no sun glasses. Didn't bring a sponge or bilge pump, didn't even bring my PFD, paddle float or spraydeck. Yet I felt fine -- paddling should be a simple pleasure. I am sick of nagging myself.

I fought and argued with Paul my mentor, I thought he was too critical of me, too harsh, too unreasonable. Yet his sentiment has rubbed off. The paddle was uneventful, you can hardly call it an "adventure," which I am grateful -- Paul disapproves of the entire concept of an "adventure," and I'm starting to appreciate where he is coming from.

I was listening to Pink Floyd's "Time" when I suddenly decided I have had enough inactions. I'm sick of killing time and not living. So I just grabbed my C-strobe and walked down to the boat club. In 10 minutes I was on the water. I love the spontaneity of it. I owe Pink Floyd one.

I wasn't sure how far I would go, the last time I paddled, I was still under the impression that I am "crippled," that I have to "take it easy." The sport med doctor says my shoulder is strong but has signs of inflammation indicating overuse. So naturally, after 3 or 4 km of paddling, I tell myself I have had enough, my shoulder is sore, I have to go back.

The mind is a funny thing, I went back to physio, my therapist says "your shoulder is good as new and there is no point continuing physio anymore. You should just head back to the water." That's all it takes to unlock the mind. When I launched yesterday, I wasn't planning on going very far, but then I kept going and going. I paddled past Disney, past Tsing Chau Jai ... once I rounded the corner I realized I was on the familiar old route that I used to paddle almost every night before NZ. It just seems so obvious that I have to complete that route, no more 10k baby paddles.

So I kept paddling, I grinned like an idiot the whole time, it's like being reunited to your long lost lover. When I saw West Lamma Channel, I felt a pang of guilt. It used to look so familiar to me, I know exactly which boat is anchored and stays there long term, which boat is sneaking up slowly on you. But I found I was completely unfamiliar with the scene yesterday. I don't recognize any of the boats anchored there. Disney also finished building their reclaimed land, the three boat docks, the flood lights, along with the busy traffic were all gone.

Instead, my water was littered with garbage and recreational boaters. I don't know why I should feel so surprised, hasn't it always been that way? Wasn't I shocked to find nobody else on the water in NZ? It's a shame though, the sun felt so warm and gentle on my skin, I really wanted to strip and paddle in my birthday suit, something I could never do in the south island chill.

I was a little worried about paddling against the tidal race at Kap Shui Mun, but turns out the tide was gentle (will you believe I launched without even checking the tide chart and the weather forecast?) I even managed to catch a few boat wakes and was ecstatic -- my boat is unloaded and light, despite my bad shoulder and weak muscle I managed to pick up the speed and surfed along. Whoever says sea kayak isn't an adrenaline sport?

But for most part, the journey was uneventful. My shoulder started to burn a little after I turned around at Kwai Shek. So I leaned back and laid myself flat on the aft deck, and instantly I started to giggle. The last time I was in that position, I was paddling Curiosity, about 4 km from Caroline Bay, thirsty as, full of blisters, chilled, could hardly keep my eyelids open, it took me 2 hours to cover that 4 km!!! The kind of stupid things we put ourselves through... yet that 26 hours of paddle has been the best memory of my lifetime. I can't think about it without putting a smile on my face. It defines light and darkness for me, it also seems to define my life.

After a short break on my aft deck, I paddled back towards DB, by the time I got close to Tsing Chau Jai, it was getting dark. All the pleasure boats around me had their white lights on, so I decided to dig out my C-strobe. I berated myself for putting it in the day hatch, my shoulder is still not perfect, and it's a major struggle to twist my arm back and try to pry the hatch open. But I did get it out. Grahame's criticism came back to me and made me blush in shame, he said a few strong words about my paddling in the dark without light -- well I did have light, it just probably wasn't visible. I think, I'm going to have to work on a way to hoist my C-Strobe higher up.

After I landed, I hosed myself down with the boat wash line at the boat club -- and I thought I was such a wimp. Turns out the Tasman Sea might have toughened me afterall.

This is how paddling should be, it shouldn't feel like training, it shouldn't feel like work, it shouldn't even feel like routine. It should be pleasure, solitude, personal enjoyments. I look forward to another paddle again, hopefully soon, hopefully tonight. I can't decide whether my back or my shoulder is sorer, but I'm no stranger to pain, and I don't dislike it.

DB to Shek O back to DB

Did another 70k+ route again yesterday. (Oct 1st)

Got up at 0330 to prepare to launch, I had an ominous sense of foreboding about it, like I'm forgetting to do something, and in sea kayaking, being prepared is everything. 

And Dennis is gone, so if something really bad were to happen, I couldn't call him up for advices and moral supports.  The truth is, sea kayaking isn't about how strong or skillful you are.  It's about putting together the right plans and the right resources.  I still have all my experiences and strength and endurance under my belt, but I'm missing just that one vital ingredient -- a trustworthy support team -- and I ended up feeling handicapped before I even put my foot in the water.

Debated in my head whether I should launch at all, then I checked the weather forecast, and the weather is supposed to be perfect (mild wind, cloudy), so I threw cautions into the wind and launched anyway.

There is a fine balance between listening to your fears and intuitions, and being brave to take new steps in less than ideal circumstances.  I still don't know if I've made the right decision to launch, I was feeling really bad about it, I was almost certain that something bad was bound to happen, but I came back feeling much better, I certainly had a good day. (even though I wasn't the most sociable person.)

And I saw some sort of battleship in East Lamma Channel!  It's so wicked!

And two helicopters flying right over my head as I paddled!  And I got pictures!

And I never noticed the marine signal flags flying on Wong Mau Kok station.  I wonder what they are supposed to mean. (There are like 8 of them hoisted together.)

0434  DB  

*** Got stopped and interrogated by friendly marine police near Sunny Island ^_^  They helped me feel better -- like I'm a little less alone.

0634 Lamma Nav Beacon 132

0820 Wong Mau Kok station

*** jumped out to cool down and also to use the washroom

*** had breakfast near the Stanley Prison

0913 SMBWSC

1010 - launched from SMB with the group

??:?? --> Tai Long Wan / Shek O

1503 - said good bye to my group near Hok Tsui/ Kau Pei Chau

1515 - finally got my MP3 untangled and ready to go ...

1710 - Luk Chau

1730 - Nav Beacon 132

1940 - DB Tai Pak

I enjoyed the group even though I was a little depressed and not feeling too sociable.  Man Sir thinks I'm kicking the foot rest too hard when I propel myself forward.  I got sunburn again, which tired me out and gave me a good night sleep.  Oh, and I managed to get Fred to watch my back on my way back, which is great -- he is an old friend, and he knows the water, and reliable enough (even though he doesn't always pick up the phone.)  All in all, I'm really glad I launched, even though a part of me still think I should have listened to myself and stay put.

Today -- I'm a little tired but happy ^_^. 

DB - Kwai Shek - DB

Combed the beach for Kiska, still no sign, won't give up though.

Got into an argument with someone in the boat club this morning when I called to see if anyone has my paddle.  I'm a little ashamed to realize, after I've calmed down, that his accusations are true -- I am not taking very good care of my equipment.  I still don't think he has the right to tell me off though.

Dennis and Fred both volunteered to loan me their carbon paddles, I've lost something that costs a lot of money, but I've discovered something that money can't buy -- I've got some REALLY good friends.

Dennis watched my back for me again after a looong silence ... I think, a part of me was being selfish and sulking about his decision to leave our TW team.  that was really childish, I even had to laugh at myself, I know it can't be helped, and I am happy for him that he got the job that he wanted for so long, but I can't help feeling dejected.  Oh well, I might as well enjoy his support while it lasts.

DB 6:29pm

Disney Pier 6:55

Tsing Chau Jai 7:03

Arm Hao Shek 7:23

Kap Shui Mun 7:34

Kwai Shek 7:44

Kap Shui Mun 7:52

Arm Hao Shek 8:12

Tsing Chau Jai 8:30

Disney Pier 9:42

                              < ---- stopped between 9:03-9:13 to admire disney firework

DB 9:21pm

DB to Kwai Shek (Kap Shui Mun) back to DB

Kiska has been stolen. :(

DB 5:55pm

Disney Pier 6:23 

Tsing Chau Jai 6:31

Arm Hao Shek 6:50 

Kap Shui Mun 7:01

Kwai Shek 7:11

Kap Shui Mun 7:20

Arm Hao Shek 7:39

Tsing Chau Jai 7:58

Disney Pier 8:11

                              < ---- nearly got run over by a stupid DB ferry.  

DB 8:39

21km route from Tai Tan (and fecked by the HKO)

Got fecked by the HKO AGAIN.  What "moderate" wind blows me completely off course and into the pit of Nam Fung Wan!?

Very strong wind, at least a BF6 IMO.  Had difficulties maintaining course in the beam wind, especially in the stretch along Nam Fung Wan where it was directly exposed to KLW.  Also needed to use stern rudder to maintain course between KLW and Sze Tei on my way back.  I can't be that out of shape, I only "rested" (hiked instead) for a few days.  But I'm awfully tired from the short 21km journey.  I don't believe for a second that the wind out there is "moderate."

Tai Tan: 12:44

NFK 1:20

Ocean Pt 1:39

Bluff Head 2:15

Check Chau East ??? <-- was admiring the energy waves pounding against the rocks and got so distracted that I nearly paddled into the exposed rocks myself.  Didn't remember to check the time at all.

Kung Chau 3:20

KLW  3:56

Sze Tei: 4:32

Fred's: 4:38

70km of darkness, sunrise, and sunset (with Sam)

2302 愉景灣 

2328  迪士尼

2345 青州仔

0004  岩口石

0019  汲水門

0030  拐石

0108  長索咀  * * * took a long break, drifted half way back to Kwai Shek by 0127, made it back to 長索咀 by 0135

0324  東湧 green buoy ... held onto the buoy with my towline to prevent drift and rested until 0358

0428 東湧<-- landed to stretch and eat ... got very cold x_x  launched again at 0532

???  沙螺灣 * * * sunrise shortly after we left SLW

0745- 0858  Tai O  <--had breakfast and replenished  our sport drinks supply

0925  牙鷹角  * * * stopped for a long time to wash off the slime we picked up in Tai O

0945  青林角  

0959- 1008  雞翼角  <-- we stopped here for our final break before Lo Kei Wan

????  分流 

1200 - 1635  籮箕灣  <-- landed to sleep... z z zzzz

1821 - 1830  二浪  Drifted back rapidly as we stopped to bail water @_@

1918 Nav Beacon 177

1924  蝦鬚排

1955  萬角咀

2059-2110  愉景灣 * * * I lost Sam as I entered the "pincher" of DB O_O  Good thing I am not a coach, I do have a habit of coming back with one less kayak, or one less paddler... @_@

We were sitting for so long, my but seriously ached by the time I reached Nav Beacon 177.  Also took me a long time to get into a comfortable cadence, but once I get it going, I feel like I can paddle forever.

The one thing I'm majorly impressed with is my cache memory ...  I don't believe it, but I forgot to bring a pencil and a clipboard, so I had to memorize our arrival times at each of the checkpoints, and I have to say, I didn't do too badly (despite being so sleep-deprived yesterday.)  Can't remember what time we arrived Sha Lo Wan and DB Marina though.

The biggest challenge for me this time is lack of sleep, as opposed to the brazen    sunshine in August (we slept through the hottest hours: 1200-1630).  Meant to get some sleep before we depart in the afternoon, but I had to clean up Taurus (another ant infestation, this time in the front hatch, which is nearly impossible to clean out), and I hardly get any sleep on Thursday night. 

TMT to Tai Tan with a violent squall hot on my heel (Aug 31)

Just a quick one before I catch the bus back into town.

TMTWSC 3:31

* * * stopped for 8 minutes to rearrange the floaties in/ on the kayak

Pak Sa Tau Tsui 4:11

Dam 4:35

Lo Fu Wat 4:50

* * * stopped for 5 minutes to talk to Sam on the phone.

Tolo Barrier 5:43

Ocean Point 6:15

Nam Fung Kok 6:43 

Sze Tei 7:11

Fred's 7:15

Tai Tan to TMT (CLG) back to Tai Tan (Aug 22-23)

Aug 22

Tai Tan to TMT

Decided to launch early to avoid the brazen sun.  The VERY HOT weather warning has been blasting continuously in the last few days. 

0451 Fred's (got my feet wet but had to fight my way out of the mud)

0454 Tai Tan (finally started paddling)

0519 Nam Fung Kok

0535 Ocean Point (Kwun Choi Kok)

0559 Flat Island (Ngan Chau)

0605 -00611 Police Barrier (BS, photos, water break)

0708 Dam

0731 Pak Sa Tau Tsui

0758 TMT Slipway (Yuck, yuck, yuck!  My boat is full of fire ants x_x  took me 45 minutes to clean most of them out ... and some of them point-blank refused to leave!)

Very very slow progress because I kept stopping to snap photos.    Besides, the mood of predawn SK is so tranquil and beautiful that it's a capital crime to spoil it with mundane, dreadful things like obsession over speed, postures, breathing, cadence ...

TMT to Tai Tan

1614 TMT (Boy Scout shore)

1636 Pak Sa Tau Tsui

1710 Lo Fu Wat

1745 Tolo Barrier

1831-1840 Ocean Point (mucked around waiting for the sun to set.)

1901 Nam Fung Kok

1923 Sze Tei

1928 Fred's

Aug 23

Tai Tan to TMT

0512 Fred's (Ouch!  Scraped my heel against the barnacles in the dark)

0538 Nam Fung Kok

0557 Ocean Point (Kwun Choi Kok)

061x Flat Island (Ngan Chau)

0645 Police Barrier (Funny, the officer said to me, "hmm, aren't you a little later than usual today?"  . . .  as though I paddle past his station every morning XD)

0732 the Dam

0751 - 0754 Pak Sa Tau Tsui (water break)

0817 TMT Slipway

Very very slow progress again because I kept stopping to snap photos.    This morning, I saw a big jellyfish with 3 fishes in its bell.

TMT to Tai Tan

Had to wait for the squall to pass.  My friends Sam, Esther, and Ling weren't impressed with my decision to paddle home, but I knew the squally thunder wasn't going to linger, so it's not so much that I was at risk of being struck by lightening; it's just a matter of finishing the Tolo Channel before total darkness.

Right, had to race against the sunset, so I snapped very few photos and otherwise tried to race home.  Funny how when you are in a hurry, everybody decides to call and SMS you ... (yes, YOU, kyocera, Cameron, and Carol!)

1703 TMT (Tai Po Boat Club Pontoon)

1723 Pak Sa Tau Tsui

1740 the Dam

1833 - 1835 Tolo Barrier (stopped to get my C-Strobe, and to bail water)

1844 Heung Lo Kok

1855 Flat Island

1858 Mo Chau

1908 Ocean Point (mucked around a little snapping pictures.)

1922 Nam Fung Kok

1947 Sze Tei

1953 Fred's

It's a calculated risk, but it still sucks to have to move my seahorse up the hill in the dark @_@

Lantau Circumnavigation in one day with Dennis

Sunset Peak Hike

Well, it was supposed to be a cross training day on Lantau, starting with a hike on Sunset Peak, then paddle around the island, then hike Lantau Peak after the sea trip.  But Dennis abused his power within our team and cancelled our Saturday hike!!!  I'm so mad!  Anyway, since I plan it to be a cross training with the intention to push myself a hair within my break-point, I think it's appropriate to put the Sunset Peak day hike on the same post.

0715 - met Carol at the NSW ferry pier, ate half a sub on the ferry.

0758 - started hiking Sunset Peak starting from Nam Shan

10:51 - exited into Pak Kung Au

Trip Log

Data: Westerly BF 4-5, * * * VERY HOT weather warning * * * (28-33C), HKO promised shower and squalls which never came.

Tide: (Fri) 2330 1.5m --> ebb --> 0356 1.1m  -->  flood -->  1013 2.2m --> ebb -->  1710 0.6m

0322 愉景灣 

0351  迪士尼

0403 青州仔

0419  岩口石

0430  草灣

0447  汲水門

0502  拐石

0536 - 0550 長索咀  <-- snacks break

Lia saw the first pink dolphin between Siu Ho Wan and the Brothers Islands.

0733 - 0818  東湧 <-- landed to stretch and have breakfast

0911  沙螺灣

0948 深屈灣

1030  寶珠潭  <-- We stopped just before we enter Tai O to admire a white and a pink dolphins, the pink one got closer and closer to us, that's when we realized how little it was.  It's probably a summer calf.

<-- Lia landed on Tai O to pick up water, sports drinks and popsicles 

1104  大街市

1118  牙鷹角  <-- Dennis started sulking ... O.O;;

1133  青林角  <-- Dennis saw more dolphins here, but didn't want to talk to me at the time!

1154- 1205  雞翼角  <-- we stopped here for food

1217 - 1238  分流 <-- we stopped to admire a pod of three pink dolphins and 2 gray ones.  They were so playful and acrobatic, even Dennis had to admit Lantau water is worth paddling.  Dennis got talkative again and asked rhetorically, "why must I torture myself like this??"

1335 - 1401  籮箕灣  <-- landed to play in the surfs, and to stretch a little.

1500  二浪

1553  蝦鬚排

1703  萬角咀

1730  Ｍarina

1756  愉景灣

lantau SE run under T1 "Goni"

After the initial squall, the sky clears up, sunset near Cheung Chau was beautiful. 

Air was so heavy I could hardly breath.  I also drank too much water too fast before launching, I paddled dizzy with a bad stomach ache for 2 hrs.  Also had to climb onto the stern deck to pee a few times.

Landed on YKW to play with the surfs again, I did a little better this time, but paddle-leash is a "dammed if you do, dammed if you don't" kind of thing.  I kept Kiska leashed today, and when the second surf come crushing down, Martlet flipped again and bounced on the shaft of Kiska.  I righted the boat immediately and dragged both Martlet and Kiska clear off the waterline.  I was worried that Kiska might be damaged and I won't be able to paddle back.  But she seems okay. (it was dark so I couldn't inspect closely.)

Felt better on my way home, because I was paddling against strong but stead headwind and at least I can breath in the "breeze."

0452 DB (T-Squall, head wind, heavy rain, was nearly going backward.) 

??:?? Marina (wind died down a little, air very heavy, very low air pressure.)

0633 Ha So Pai

0637 N. Beacon 177 (strong following wind)

0707 Yi Long Wan (surfs lined both TL and YL)

0741 Yi Long Wan (Very strong, steady headwind.) 

0827 N. Beacon 177 (ditto)

0920 Mui Wo (Strong starboard beamwind.)

0958 Marina 

1017 DB

Lantau SE run

I was surprised to find out Dennis went up to mainland China today; so I called up Siu Ming last minute to arrange for safety calls.

Siu Ming called back to find out which boat I was paddling, who I'm with, etc, in case he needs to make a police report.  But I had my brand new waterproof MP3 player on and didn't pick up the phone ... so typical. =_='

That reminds me, I should organize my route info in case I need to call up someone else for safe calls.  I should also post picture of my kayaks, in case of potential SAR.

4:50 DB 

5:06 Marina

5:33 Mui Wo

6:12 Ha So Pai

6:18 Nav Beacon 177

6:50 Yi Long Wan

6:59 turn at the rock/headland where I can see Pui O (13.4km)

7:39 Nav Beacon 177

8:22 Mui Wo

9:07 DB

So I did 26.8km and then some.  It was dark by the time I got back to Yi Long and I had to more or less hug the coastline.

Lantau SE run, and hardcore cross-training plan

Hiked and rested yesterday.  Paddled the Lantau SE run today.

4:49 DB

4:57 Pincher

5:37 Mui Wo (Tung Wan Tau)

6:25 Nav Beacon 177 (past Ha So Pai)

6:45 Tai Long Wan

7:05 Nav Beacon 177

7:09 Ha So Pai

7:37 Mui Wo (TWT)

8:07 the beach at the "pincher"

* * * paddled out to Disney to admire the firework, but stopped to turn around when they stopped shooting * * *

8:24 DB Tai Pak

Then I called up Dennis to report my touch-down, and asked him about the Lantau trip ... I still don't believe it, but he agreed to come!  We haven't confirmed a day yet, but the tentative plan is for him to come over to DB after work on a Friday, drop off his stuff, shower, get some dinner, brief, and then we will launch either late night or early morning (as in 0300 kind of early morning.)  We will paddle till around noon, when the sun tries to bake us alive, we will land for lunch and hide in the shade for two hours.   Then we will paddle back to DB, try to land before 5:00pm, shower, stash the stuff in my apartment, get a takeout pizza from wildfire, and then bus/ferry to meet Paul and Yuki for overnight trailwalker training.

Mwahahahaha, how is that for hardcore, back-breaking cross training?  Paul and Yuki will probably have to give us piggy rides!

I still have to go back to our trip log to guestimate how much time we might need for the sea trip.  In all likelihood, we will be toiling for well over 24 hrs non-stop!  

Hei Ling Chau Sunset

Snapped a shot at HLC/ Sunny Island as the sun went down.  I used to get irrationally scared when it gets dark and I'm still out on the water, looks like I'm finally getting used to it now.

Finally it's time to change the batteries in my C-strobe, I've been using it since I came back to HK in March, (but I don't think I started night navigation till April) so I'm pretty impressed with it.  Speaking of, the batteries didn't die entirely, the strobe light still goes off brightly, but it went from the original 60 strobes per minute to one strobe per 29 seconds!! 

And it must be a bad equipment day, because my blue "emergency grab kit" bottle finally broke.  Very sad to let it go, looks like I'll have to hunt down another wide-brim water bottle for my electronic gears again.

Spend the morning corresponding with Grahame again, I'm starting to like the Kiwis, they seem like a friendly bunch :)  Anyway, didn't launch until late in the evening, then I ended up bullshitting with a gweilo on Tai Pak, so I didn't get onto my yak till after 5.

1717 DB Tai Pak

1724 Pincher

1805 Siu Kau Yu Chau

1833 Arr Sunny Island

1901 Arr. Hei Ling Chau

1909 ... saw the Dam ...

1922 rounded the end of Dam1

1930 rounded the bent on the second dam

1939 left HLC pier

* * * got lost in the dark again and ended up in Nim Shue Wan

2015 Marina 

2021 Pincher

2031 DB Tai Pak

T1 -> T3 : Moody me, Moody sea

Sometimes a T3 is so lame it's not even worthy of a BF3; this time though, the gusts kicked my ass.

Went out for dim sum with my family in the morning; one thing leads to another, my mom decided she needs to lecture me on water sports safety. It's not the first time, and I don't suppose it's gonna be the last, but she has no idea what she is talking about, she seems to think she has the mandates from heaven to talk down to me just because, well, she is my mother.

It's rather silly, really. I got very very angry, like she is doing something rather indecent against my person. I have no choice but to speak in Chinese with my mother, and my hongkie friends in Canada have attested that I speak like a child when I speak in Cantonese ... what do you expect? I only ever speak in Cantonese at home, when I'm being talked down to by my mother, father, or elder brother.

My lingustic retardation just added fuel to the fire; she imagined the darnest "dangerous" situations -- like pirates and sharks and tsunami-sized rogue waves -- and she hasn't got the patience to listen to me when I try to explain to her about HK water. She cuts me off and tell me "the observatory advises against such and such," well, kiss my ass, the HKO has been wrong so many times, I'll be rich if I get a penny every time I get screwed by their stupid forecasts. Besides, it's a big sea, you can't take one blanket forecast statement and apply it to the entire HKSAR. I told her she isn't qualified to critisize my judgement, because she has neither the training nor the experience, I mean, even Siu Ming and Man-sir and Dennis don't challenge my decision to launch during a storm, and they are experienced paddlers. I will explain to them why I think a sea is negotiable, or why it isn't, and they will contribute something useful, and analyse with me, but my mighty mother will grasp at any thin straw, and if she can come up with nothing else to say, she will beat the same dead horse and tell me "the observatory says so and I know they are right." In the end, she even called me a "know it all," "full of yourself," and "waster of tax-payer's money."  Such loving parent she is, honestly.

Sometimes I think she riles me up just for the fun of it, like she is trying to make sure she can control me and talk down to me like a kid. There were times when I happily discourse with my father, who shares some of my enthusiasm for the open sea, and she will cut in to insist I just made my stories all up, because she can't navigate on open water, and she has no idea how to use a map, then there is no way in her screwed up world that someone as unworthy as her lowly daughter can.

I hate her; I'm furious, I wanted to hit her. But instead, I walked out of the restaurant before I had a chance to say something venomous. I decided to launch, and even as I walked down to the beach, I kept thinking, "you are so sure you are right, I hope I die in the storm tonight. That should make you happy."

* * *

With a death-wish in my head, I launched. For the second time, I found my cockpit home to a clan of ants. Took me half an hour to clear them out (good thing Martlet is very easy to empty.) and off I went.

It was windy, but it didn't start out looking like a storm. The low pressure made it very difficult to breath, I kept having to stop for water. The wind was behind me at first, so even though I wasn't focusing on speed and stroke efficiency and postures, I was still making decent progress.

I noticed the ever diligent net-casting fish boats were all parked inside HLC shelter, so I thought, maybe there is some bite to this typhoon warning.

Somewhere along Mui Wo/ Ha So Pai, the wind switched to my port beam. I was still angrily cursing my mother at the time, so I wasn't paying too much attention. I'm just so glad that Martlet comes equipped with a rudder, because there is no bloody way I could have handled a beam wind like that when I was so very distracted.

Once I rounded Ha So Pai, things got really really nasty. It got dark all of a sudden, and the air pressed down hard in bursts. Big drops of rain drummed against my back, luckily, the wave followed me again, but it was steep enough that Martlet's bow digged into the water from time to time. That, compounded with the constant boat waves that came from my port side, made a very confusing sea. 

The wind and waves pushed me so hard from behind, for the first time I understood what Fan-goh said -- it slows down the boat to put your paddle in the water when you negotiate a following sea. I darted forward like an arrow, relying heavily on the rudder to keep the course true; I swear, as shallow and fast as I paddled, the waves still travelled faster than my cadence.

It was not the roughest sea I've paddled, the strong monsoon at TMT was no less demanding. The trouble is, I wasn't mentally prepared to deal with a rough sea today. Normally, with an energetic following sea like that, I would thank god for being alive long enough to experience something so powerful and exciting. But today, death was on my mind, and I hadn't stopped thinking about dying to get back at my mother when the Shek Wu hits, and when the thunder finally cracked, I jumped, my heart pounded furiously, and I couldn't help but to think, "this is it, I'm really going to die today."

I willed myself to calm down, to no avail. The sea condition wasn't terrible, it wasn't something beyond my control, but my emotion state was.

So I landed on the South facing beach between Cheung Chau and Shek Kwu Chau. There was a bit of dump surf at the landing site. I managed to get out of the boat without incident, but the second surf pounded on me too soon, I took one quick look and decided I was fighting a losing battle, and gave up trying to drag Martlet up the beach. That decision probably saved my fingers; the surf pounded on Martlet violently; the PFD, maps, and electronic gear bottles got washed away as Martlet went belly-up, and before I had time to right the boat, a third surf crashed. I stood besides the cockpit and did not wait for the water to recede to act this time -- I righted Martlet -- who was filled with sand by that time -- and ran up to drag her up as hard and fast as I could.

So I had a sea-kayak version of a garage-sale, my paddle, gear box, maps, and croc shoes were all floating around the surf line. The crocs, gear bottle and PFD were light enough to float back, as soon as I retrieved my electronic bottle, I swam out to try to retrieve my paddles -- bolted around just in time to realize I wasn't even wearing my PFD (I had a death-wish, remember?), so I ran for my life with the surf hot on my heels, grabbed the PFD, put it on as I waded out into the water again, and swam for the paddles.

I knew it was a bit dangerous, but I wasn't going to get stranded there without a paddle.

After retrieving the paddle, I decided to call Dennis before I get back into the water to retrieve the rest of my stuff. I still can't believe I tried to swim out without a PFD, and without making a safety call.

After retrieving all my gears, I sat down just behind the waterline, and felt totally, royally screwed. At some point, I was almost ready to admit, "mom was probably right."

Then I suddenly noticed I was trembling, I'm not sure if it was just my anger at my mother, or the adrenaline, or hypothermia. I decided my heart wasn't going to slow down with "rest," and so I made up my mind to paddle back to DB while I still could.

I stuffed everything that I might not need into the stern hatch -- including my sunglasses and cap -- it was just too cloudy/ foggy.  That was a baaaad decision.

When I finally scooped enough sand out of the cockpit, I studied the surf, watched for the water line of the biggest surf, placed Martlet accordingly, fitted my spray deck on and waited.

And I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Waited...

But the big surf never came. I pushed with both of my paws on the sand to lift Martlet up and forward a few feet; finally a mid-size surf hit us, but it wasn't enough to float my boat; only enough to veer Martlet to port side a little. Which was a bit nasty, because when the big one finally hits, it steered Martlet further towards the left, and nearly gave my left wrist a fracture as I tried to push against the sand to launch forward.

But I did it; got hit by the on-coming surfs a few times, but I leaned back and kept paddling forward, and made it through the surfline without incident.

Water was somewhat calm when I relaunched, the Shek Wu squall moved behind Shek Kwu Chau and beyond. I felt fairly defeated -- I got the stormy sea I wanted, it wasn't beyong my ability to handle, but I wasn't in the right mood to tackle it, and I ended up feeling very miserable.

So I dragged on and on, I shouldn't be tired, but I was dragging my feet (so to speak,) and paddled slowly. I stopped many times, I felt sure I would benefit from a hearty tantrum, I wanted to cry, I was sure I would feel better if I just let it all out. But then again, I wasn't sure if the weather would turn nasty again, and I needed to stay feisty if I were to survive the storm, so I paddled on moodily.

Sure enough, a second squall hits, this time, it hit me right in the face, and I wished I had the brain to keep the sunglasses/ cap within reach then. For the second time I was plunged into the fog, but the almond-sized rain drops hit me squarely in the eyes. It hurts, it burns, I could hardly keep my eyes open, yet I daren't have them closed. Even as I forced them open, it was no use. I could hardly see - I knew there was a red flashing navigation beacon within 10 meters, yet I lose sight of it as the squall engulfed us.

When the squall finally passed, I saw a bird flying alone high up with the cloud. What a brave, lonely bird! I thought admiringly, only then a light flashed, and I realized it was an airplane. Somehow I felt better, knowing there are other sentient beings battling against the elements right there and then. As Santiago says, "one is never alone at sea."



2:42 DB (launch)
3:24 Mui Wo
4:02 Ha So Pai (N.Beacon 177)
4:30 landed on beach

5:07 relaunch
??? Ha So Pai (N.B. 177)
6:53 Marina Beacon
7:18 DB (landing)


I tried to memorize my arrival time at many check points, which I regularly do when I paddle solo, and usually I'm pretty good with a sequence of small numbers like that. But today, I was too distracted to remember the numbers. I know the launching and landing time was accurate, I know I mucked around at the beach for about half an hour. Beyond that, nothing is certain.

Lost in Mui Wo -- In the dark

rested yesterday, for some reasons my quads were quite sore.  And the blisters on my palms were killing me.

Met Carol to discuss trailwalker training on Lantau.  After our chat, I finally dragged myself down to the water and launched Martlet.  I was only going to do my 23km routine, but then I haven't had an accident for over a month now, and we all know that's just too good to last...

DB Tai Pak   5:48pm

Kau Yi           6:29

Sunny Is.       6:51

Hei Ling C    ???

Mui Wo        ???

Marina          ???

DB Tai Pak   9:02 

That makes 25km in 3hrs 14 mins = 7.7km/hr  Plus fumbling with compass and map and fishes and cell phone, so I think, the speed isn't too bad.  

Right, the accident.  I was just going to go through with my normal 23k island hopping routine, the late evening sky was amazingly beautiful, so beautiful it was, that I forgot to look where I was going before it gets really really dark.

So it got dark, I was rounding the dam of HLC, somehow I thought Disco Bay is the only civilization on Lantau, so I saw city light, and I got drawn into it like a moth drawn into a flame.  By the time I noticed there was a welcome store, McD, and China Bear, I knew I was in trouble. 

Pulled out my map, since it was too dark to use my regular compass, I tried to use my CASIO watch compass, but somehow it wouldn't give me a reading.  And my fingers got tired trying to hold down the backlit button. (it wouldn't stay lit anyway.)   I ended up needing to use my strobe light to help me see the black compass that I always wear around my neck.  Note to self: next time, get a glow-in-the-dark compass.

Paddling in the dark was unnerving.  I wasn't able to judge the distances of the landscape, and a fairly large boat sailed pass me without any light on at all -- no red, no green, no white light, I only saw its silhouette when it moved between me and Disney.  It's scary, I wasn't sure if it could see me either (I did had my C-strobe on) and the engine sounded really close to my kayak.

When I finally got out of Mui Wo, I thought my phone rang, because something was vibrating between my legs... strange, I know, because I DID NOT KEEP MY PHONE BETWEEN MY LEGS.  Turns out not one but three little fish jumped into my boat.  I loosen up my waist band before launching so to alleviate the salt-sore on my ab, and the fishes just slide right into my pants... ;__;  When I finally realized what was happening, I freaked out and screamed my head off.  I think the ninja-boat next to me heard me, because they sped away from me towards Disney.  Anyway, I couldn't take the suspense anymore.  I called Dennis for some moral support, mostly to hear myself say that I still have everything under control ... more or less.

The nastiest part of it was that I didn't bring a bottle of water.  I thought it was going to be a quick repetition of a well-practiced routine route, but shit happens.  Next time, bring water no matter what.

I was so thirsty when I finally landed, I tried to muscle my water-filled martlet up to shore, and in the process, probably did something to my collar bone where I had a fracture a few years ago.  I bailed the water and carried the boat with my other shoulder afterwards.  I guess I won't know if it's hurt until a day or two later.

After shower, I did a bit of weight training up in the gym.  Worked on shoulder/chest muscle, back, triceps, and quad.  

Ready for bed now.

DB to SMB to DB log (2)

Turns out you do get used to 70k+ a day, my body isn't as tired as before, the number one problem this time is salt-sore (lower back, butt, armpit, palms) and, well, lack of food. (And sunburns, of course.)

When I left my apartment, HKO was still hoisting the T1 signal.  So I thought I would probably just paddle out to Lamma and then come back to get back to bed.

Then I called Siu-Ming, his wife picked up and told me the group will go ahead with the trip, so that means I have to go to SMB afterall =_=  I tried to hurry then, because I mucked around quite a bit along lamma, and the strong headwind puts me way behind schedule already.

When I got there, Siu Ming and his KPG kids were already by the beach ready to launch.  I made it there just in time to be briefed about the route plan.  Turns out we can't go to Po Toi afterall, I knew WSC managers banned Po Toi long time ago, I thought Siu Ming knows, and was going to do it under the table.  Imagine my shock when he just blatantly walks up to the manager and told them "we are off to Po Toi today." =_=;;;

So Chun Hum Kok it was.  Which means no restaurant; we had to munch on our emergency rations.  I had nothing but a granola bar, ho hum.  Siu Ming shared his bread and sport drinks with me but still, I mean, you just don't try to survive a 70km trip on bread alone... 

I'm starting to believe I am solar-operated, because I managed to go home afterall, despite an intense hunger pang that wouldn't go away.

I felt good during the first 30km, despite very strong head wind.  Progress was slow but I wasn't tired, my right armpit got a little sore from rubbing against the PFD, which I took care of by, well, taking it off.

Crossing the WLC in the morning was okay, total darkness plus the large boats parked between the WLC and ELC made navigation a challenge, but traffic was very quiet and so it wasn't particularly stressful.  By the time I was ready to cross the ELC though, sea liners and tankers were running at full throttle, I wasn't terrified, but it was definitely stressful.  I definitely felt relieved when I finally got to Bluff Head.

On my way back, traffic wasn't too heavy at ELC, I was a little worried about sunset by the time I crossed WLC, and again, navigation was complicated by all the large boats anchored between the channels, but otherwise, it was uneventful and only very mildly stressful.  I was able to zone out a little, because I was surprised when I suddenly realized I was at Tai Lee, before I knew it, I was nearly at the end of my 70km journey.

When I was crossing the WLC, a yacht sailed by and asked if I needed help.  Funny, when I paddled to SMB last month, I really wished I would run into someone who could give me a lift home.  This time though, I felt fine, and I told the sailors as much.  But that just goes to prove, the DB sailors are a friendly bunch.  I should really get to know them better.

The trip log:

0412 DB Tai Pal

0425 DB "pincher"

0438 Tai Lee

0445 Peng Chau SW

0659 Lamma (Beacon 132) 懐かしい〜

0728 Luk Chau

0805 Lamma Wong Chuk Kok

0912 Wong Ma Kok

0939 Lo Chau

0955 SMB

* * *With KPG group * * *

1334 Chun Hum Kok 

1452 Wong Ma Kok (turn around)

* * *solo again * * *

1606 Lamma Wong Chuk Kok

1657 Luk Chau

1722 Lamma (Beacon 132)

1901 Peng Chau SW

1912 Tai Lee

1932 DB Tai Pak

CHWSC 24km

Arrived SK early so jogged for 3 laps (7min53) then cooled down and stretched.

Paddled 24km today, Fan Goh didn't come, we ended up with Man Sir instead.  I think I did okay in terms of speed, but the low air pressure combined with the unbelievably high temperature slowed everybody down -- it was suffocating.  I felt as though I could hardly breath at all, and my heart was racing, probably due to a mild case of heat exhaustion. (my HR was 152BPM!)

Will hike trail section 3 tomorrow.  Am going to work out in Shatin  during the day and then join Paul and Yuki at 5 in SK for the hike.  And then I'll come home to get ready for the SMB trip...

Not sure if my body is ready for this.  I sort of regret jogging today; I guess I'll just have to do my best and see what happens... For all I know, the SMB trip might get cancelled due to the T1.

Another DB sea-kayaker

Gym:

1 hr cycling (L4, "34km")

one set of everything except for the reverse squat -- a gweilo was using it and I got cold waiting for him to finish his set.  I mean, he kept loading it up with more and more weight, I'll probably break my back trying to unload it.

Paddling: Used my old 22k route.

1600 DB

1641 Rounded the corner of Kau Yi Chau (drifted too far North due to wind and current and wasted a lot of time paddling back south ... I need to learn to work with the element more.)

1704 - Sunny Is. NE

1738 - Hei Ling Chau S

1813 - Hei Ling W. (Pier)

1845 - Marina 

* * * Met Mark, chatted for a while, silly me, totally forgot the fact that I had my cellphone with me...

1905 - DB

I've been moaning and whining in my head for some times, "why do I have to do push ups to train for kayaking??  I don't use my chest muscles!"

Well, I got a bit sore from the gym workout today, then went straight down to the water.  Ha!  Funny how I thought you don't use your chest muscles for paddling.  I was quite sore when I started paddling, but the lactic acid faded away after a short while.

DB - Kau Yi - DB

I know, I know, I haven't blogged for two days. Internet at home is down. It's weird blogging in the resident club, there is no privacy at all.

Went windsurfing on the 30th of July, was going to go to Shatin, but the traffic jam kept me. So no gym nor kayaking, again :(

1st July, I paddled over to Peng Chau to meet CK, Lam-Jai, and Winnie, we then paddled (sloooowly) over to Mui Wo for lunch, and paddled back to Peng Chau for canoe-polo. It's a lot of fun, I laughed so hard my belly still aches. I suck at it, am not particularly gifted with balls of any sort, but enjoyed humiliating myself none the less.

Today, oh... today. Wasted all morning trying to talk to the HGC people, apparently I'm not the first to call so they will send someone over to check the hardware in my building on Saturday. So it looks like I won't get internet access tonight neither.

DB 1627
* * * wasted about 5 minutes waiting for a cargo boat to pass, turns out it wasn't moving u_u * * *
Tai Kau Yi 1744
1755 -> called Dennis (the other side of Kau Yi)
DB 1910

Not sure about the distance, they don't have googleearth here in the resident club computers.

Am going to toil in the gym now. Ho-hum...

[Gym Log]
24mins on the bike
30mins on the strider (4km+)

Morning session with Phil

Again, couldn't sleep last night, got in and out of bed till well past 0400.  So I was dragging my feet to meet Phil for our early morning paddling.  I wonder when or if I'm ever going to get over this. (this = trailwalker-phobia)

Paddled Phil's tandem out to Kau Yi Chau to "admire" the crazy traffic, I don't think Phil has paddled out here before, because he seemed surprised by the heavy traffic.  I know that's the one thing I won't miss when I get to NZ.

As we paddled the following tidal stream, I went onto autopilot and hastened my cadence, Phil followed suit and our paddles clashed.  I really do suck at teamworks...

DB 0713

E Kau Yi (DPT) 0811

W Kau Yi (Arr) 0824

--> Capsize/ reentry drill near a jelly fish ^_^;;;

DB 0850

[edited to say: Dennis just called to call off the trailwalker training today.   Ha!  I needn't lose sleep over this afterall.]

強 烈 季 候 風 信 號

強 烈 季 候 風 信 號 仍 然 生 效 。 預 料 本 港 吹 西 南 強 風 ， 平 均 風 速 每 小 時 超 過 四 十 公 里 。 陣 風 間 中 達 每 小 時 70 公 里 。  1. 如 果 你 身 在 當 風 地 方 ， 會 受 到 西 南 風 的 正 面 吹 襲 ， 請 採 取 預 防 措 施 ， 以 防 強 勁 陣 風 帶 來 損 害 。 花 盆 及 可 能 被 風 吹 倒 的 物 件 應 搬 入 室 內 。  2. 所 有 在 公 路 及 高 架 天 橋 上 駕 駛 的 人 仕 ， 請 特 別 提 防 強 勁 陣 風 的 吹 襲 。  3. 打 算 參 加 水 上 運 動 或 進 行 海 上 工 作 人 士 請 特 別 小 心 ， 以 防 大 風 大 浪 帶 來 的 危 險 。 在 南 面 離 岸 的 海 域 ， 風 浪 尤 其 大 。  以 上 天 氣 稿 由 天 文 台 於 2009 年 06 月 27 日 11 時 43 分 發 出